This Chocolate Peppermint Swiss Roll recipe is so pretty and festive! The cake is filled with peppermint whipped cream. Topped with chocolate ganache and candy canes.
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Chocolate Swiss Rolls are such a showy holiday treat, aren’t they?
The fluffy, springy cake literally melts in your mouth. If you’re looking for a head-turning dessert for your holiday table, this is it.
I based the sponge cake portion of this recipe on a classic chocolate genoise. This type of cake does not contain any leavening agents like baking soda or baking soda. Instead, it relies on eggs to get its buoyancy.
To help the eggs whip into a strong, stable foam (which in turn helps make a reliable and tasty cake), heat them briefly with the sugar over a water bath.
Use of a double boiler
A water bath involves heating just a few inches of water in a medium-sized saucepan and placing a bowl over it. The bowl should be resting on the rim of the pot above the water, like an egg in an eggcup. It’s okay if the bowl touches the water, but it shouldn’t touch the bottom of the pan.
How to roll up a Swiss roll
There’s really only one other discouraging moment in this recipe – rolling up the cake! The trick here is to roll the cake around a clean kitchen towel while it is still warm in the oven and then let it cool in this position before frosting.
Rolling and cooling the cake this way gives it the ability to hold the rolled shape without cracking. To add the icing, simply roll it out gently, remove the towel, frosting, and roll it back up. The process takes a little confidence, but if you work quickly you’ll be amazed at how easily the roll comes together.
Once the cake is filled, all you have to do is drizzle with chocolate ganache and sprinkle with some crushed peppermint. They’re ready to slice and serve!
Chocolate Peppermint Swiss Roll
You will need a clean kitchen towel for this recipe. Cocoa powder and cake crumbs can stain, so make sure you don’t mind getting dirty.
Once the ganache has been added, the cake is best served the day it is made (the ganache doesn’t look as nice the second day). Leftover cake that is not eaten can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
ingredients
For the chocolate biscuit
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nonstick Cook spray, to grease the pan
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1/3 Cup all purpose flour
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1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powderplus extra for rolling the cake
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1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
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6 big eggs
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2/3 Cup sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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4 tablespoon unsalted buttermelted and cooled (but still liquid)
For the peppermint whipped cream
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1 1/4 cups fat whipped cream
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2 tablespoon sugar
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1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
For the ganache and the peppermint topping
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1/2 Cup heavy cream
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4 ounces bittersweet chocolatechopped, shared
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1 teaspoon light corn syrup
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1/4 Cup crushed Peppermints or candy canes
method
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Preheat oven to 450°F.
Place a baking rack in the center of the oven and preheat.
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Prepare the baking sheet:
Spray a 13×17 inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, then spray again and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess cocoa powder. Put aside.
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Sift together the dry ingredients:
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Put aside.
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Heat eggs and sugar:
Make a double boiler by filling a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing the water to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Combine eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a food processor or other large heatproof bowl and place bowl over simmering water. The bowl should be larger than the pan and should be above the surface of the simmering water.
Using a vigorous whisk, begin to beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until the sugar has dissolved and the egg mixture is pale and warm to the touch. Remove from stove.
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Beat the egg mixture:
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer, beat the warm egg mixture on high until the mixture is very pale, has a glossy sheen and has almost tripled in volume. Depending on your blender, this will take 5 to 10 minutes.
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Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture:
Sprinkle half of the flour and cocoa mixture over the top of the eggs and gently fold in until just combined. Sprinkle the remaining flour and cocoa mixture on top and fold until there are no dry streaks and the mixture looks even.
Drizzle the melted, cooled butter into the mixture and mix gently.
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Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet:
Work quickly, using an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly.
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Bake:
Bake for 6 or 7 minutes or until cake has lifted from the sides and is springy to the touch. Let cake 2 cool in the pan for 3 minutes, but no longer.
While the cake is baking, prepare a kitchen towel to roll out. Find a clean kitchen towel that’s larger than your baking sheet (or use two overlapping ones). Dust everything with cocoa powder.
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Roll the cake:
With quick, confident movements, run a knife along the outside edge of the cake pan. Set the pan on its side, then turn it face down on the dusted towel. Carefully lift the pan up and away and peel off the parchment.
Fold the edge of the towel over one of the shorter sides of the cake and gently roll up the cake. Place the rolled cake block on a wire rack and cool completely, an hour or more.
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Prepare whipped cream:
Whip the heavy cream until fluffy, then add the sugar and peppermint extract. Continue beating until the cream just holds firm peaks; Be careful not to overdo it.
How to make whipped creamCONTINUE READING:
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Fill the cake with whipped cream:
Gently roll out the cooled cake on a clean surface. Spread the whipped cream filling evenly over the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Roll up the cake again (this time without a towel!). If whipped cream oozes out as you roll, scoop it up and add it back in.
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Cool the cake:
Wrap the cake roll in parchment, then in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
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When you’re ready to finish the cake, make the ganache:
Make a double boiler by filling a medium saucepan with 2 inches of water and bringing the water to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Place a larger bowl on top of the pot, over the water.
Add the cream, 2/3 of the chopped chocolate and a pinch of salt to the bowl. Stir until melted. Remove bowl from heat and stir in remaining chocolate and corn syrup.
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Drizzle the cake with the ganache:
Unwrap the chilled cake and place it seam-side down on a platter. Slide 2 pieces of parchment on each side of the “block” to catch the drips. Drizzle the prepared ganache over the roll until completely coated. Remove the parchment paper “drip catchers”. Sprinkle the mints on top.
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Cool and serve:
Place the cake in the refrigerator and chill for 20 minutes. Slice and serve!
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 341 | calories |
| 24g | Fat |
| 26g | carbohydrates |
| 6g | protein |
